The Pentagon focuses new nuclear bombs under the ground

02.08.2016

Under the guise of modernization of old samples of the atomic bombs the U.S. actually start manufacturing new ammunition. Bombs B61-12 will be placed in Germany and the purpose of their use will be specially fortified and located deep underground command bunkers. Such plans of the Pentagon is clearly contrary to the political rhetoric of the United States.

About the beginning of the engineering preparation of the project, launched the National nuclear security administration in The USA (The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, DOE/NNSA). As noted in the statement posted on the organization’s website, upgrade the bombs will begin in 2020.

“A logical response on the part of Russia can only be equipping nuclear warheads “Iskander”

Tactical B61 bombs were adopted by the US army in the late 60-ies of the last century. In 2020 will be 12 by the modification. It is assumed that it will replace now facing armed versions – from the third to the tenth. According to the calculations of the Pentagon, the upgrade will add a bomb for at least another 20 years of life. The costs of modernizing the B-61 is estimated at $ 8 billion.

“This program of extending the service life of the bomb is fully consistent with the Directive of President Obama’s support of safety, reliability and effectiveness of the nuclear deterrent, reducing the size of the reserves,” said U.S. Secretary of energy Ernest Moniz.

Already defined where the first modernized bombs. As previously wrote the newspaper VIEW, they will be placed on the büchel airbase in Germany. In any case, such statements were made by representatives of the Pentagon.

However, in the design of the new version bombs, there are innovations that do not allow speaking about it as just about upgraded weapons. In particular, the B61-12 will receive a new tail section with the rudders and an improved guidance system. This extremely increases the accuracy. The old version of the B61 was designed solely to defeat manpower and equipment of the enemy. Such a bomb exploded above ground. The power of the explosion did not exceed nine megatons.

The bomb is the new modification is equipped with a special housing and the retarder fuse that enables it to penetrate into the ground for many meters. Its power of explosion is up to 10 megatons. Thus, we are talking about the creation of the first controlled tactical nuclear bombs, but still able to serve the solution to a specific task – to destroy heavily fortified command posts of the enemy, hidden deep underground. Now nothing like that in the Arsenal of the U.S. Armed forces no.

Authorizing the creation of new weapons under the guise of modernization continues, PresidentBarack Obama gracefully walked his previous statements – in particular, the famous speech in Prague, where he declared that the United States will seek the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

The creation of new nuclear weapons, and even its location in Europe means the opposite – increasing its role in the national security strategy of the United States. However, it is worth to mention: Prague Obama’s speech was prosemen in 2009, when the United States were in other geopolitical realities in relations between Russia and the United States were “reset” and the vast majority of Americans, according to polls, believed the Russians are their allies, not a threat.

Press Secretary of Russian PresidentDmitry Peskov, reports RIA “Novosti” very carefully commented on the news about the US plans to create new nuclear weapons, saying that it “should evaluate.”

More rigorously expressed, the Chairman of the Federation CouncilCommittee on defense and security Viktor Ozerov noted that the actions of the us authorities “contradict the spirit” of the contract on reduction of strategic offensive arms (start-3. This document came into force in 2011. Ozerov, however, did not specify that in this case speech can go about the violation, except that of the spirit but not the letter of the contract. After all, the American bomb definitely does not refer to strategic and tactical weapons. And no international restrictions on tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) are not.

In 2013, Barack Obama proposed the U.S. and Russia to reduce their tactical nuclear arsenals. However, after the tumultuous events in Ukraine in the spring of 2014 the topic was essentially buried. The nuclear security summit, which was held in April of this year in the Netherlands, where, according to Obama, made in 2013, Russia and the United States had finally to develop common approaches on reducing tactical nuclear weapons, went without any Russian participation. The Russian position is that to start such negotiations, the U.S. should withdraw its tactical nuclear weapons on its own territory – how long ago did Russia. However, according to reports on the modernization of bombs, to renounce the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, the United States did not intend to.

Experts agree that the appearance of the B61-12 will foster an arms race. “A logical response on the part of Russia can only be equipping nuclear warheads “Iskander”. Another option in this case is not visible,” – said the newspaper VIEW first Vice-President of Academy of geopolitical problems, doctor of military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov.

Recall that the operational-tactical missile complexes “Iskander” designed to destroy small targets in deep behind enemy lines. However, by default they are equipped with conventional warheads.